The Demand

What is the Demand that keeps Sex Trafficking alive?

According to the U.S. State Department report by the New York Times, the United States has become the second most trafficked country in the world, as sex trafficking has become a $32 billion dollar a year industry (1.). The U.S. Department of Justice reported that the sex slaves were 83% American citizens and as young as five years old in the United States (2.). But how did we get here?

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Surprisingly to some, pornography has been the tool and avenue that is used to increase and sustain the supply. Due to the increase of pornography use in this century, so the demand for sex trafficking has skyrocketed.

Pornography is the very outlet that is used to document the activities of prostitution and sex trafficking, as well as advertise for what can be purchased.

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Sex Trafficking is the new term for most prostitution, as we realize that trafficking is much more intricate than previously thought, hence why the term has been changed.

Sex Trafficking is the term for Prostitution, if there is any force, fraud, or coercion involved.

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With the change of terms, brings to mind new aspects of the sex trade that were previously hidden. But now, thanks to huge endeavors made in research and development, we now realize that pornography is nothing more then pictures and video of those being prostituted in sex trafficking (and as well as pictures of those mimicking and advertising for the sex trade.). With that in mind, evidence is coming out in vast numbers that survivors of sex trafficking report that pornography was taken or made of them while trapped in trafficking. A sex trafficking survivor once stated to us, “Pornography is nothing more than documented abuse.” And while Pornography continues to increase in popularity, so will the demand for sex trafficking.

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Think of it this way, pornography is the very menu in which buyers of sex trafficking order from. Pornography is a menu for buyers.

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That's right!

Pornography is the menu of what someone can buy through Sex Trafficking.

We now realize that sex trafficking is the 2nd largest criminal activity in the world (3.) and it is growing due to the demand that pornography is making online. Every click online increases the demand of pornography, and the greater demand it makes the greater the supply is needed to meet those demands. But is the activity of pornography that gigantic? Surely the Christian church isn't affected by such things!

There exists a very serious but unrecognized epidemic primarily among men and secondarily among women today. And that is the regular exposure and consumption of pornography! 68% of Christian men admit to viewing porn regularly (4.) and 50% of pastors privately confess the same (5.). If so many believers are affected and influenced by pornography, imagine the increase of buyers of trafficking by those who call themselves believers.

If we can get Christians to stop looking at porn, we could exponentially decrease the demand for sex trafficking.

Which means that the supply of trafficking could be decreased. And what is the supply? Prostituted victims of sex trafficking.

This is why ISA is focused on demand prevention, in hopes to prevent the abuse that happens by victims of trafficking and the shame and guilt by those who buy bodies of those trapped in sex trafficking.

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Every 30 seconds, someone becomes a victim of modern day slavery through trafficking (6.) and the average age of those entering trafficking are just 12 years old (7.). The increase of this issue is screaming out for help and assistance by the church and ISA is taking the opportunity to dedicate ourselves to the universal church and partnering with them. We need to take a look at these issues, not just from a human rights angle, but Biblically.

The church needs to make some hard decisions. Either let these stats continue to rise or work hard to educate and stop the effects that Pornography and Sex Trafficking have with Believers. How can we preach Freedom in Christ, if our own people are slaves to a sin that is not discussed within the church? How can we preach freedom in Christ, if we are silently allowing others to indulge in sexual exploitation of others for the selfish pleasures by those who sit in the pews next to us? We must wake up and start to see that pornography and sex trafficking are increasing due to the silence of the church on this very issue.

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We must stand up for freedom in Christ in a way that no others dare. Because we have the name of Jesus Christ branded on our lives, we are the ones willing to give up all things, so that others can be free.

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What will you do? Sit silently and do nothing?

Or start realizing that we are in the middle of a war and it is time to get up and start fighting?